Electric service installation



Dec. 18, 1928.

J. SACHS ELECTRI C SERVICE IN`S TALLATION 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 n ORA/EY f www@ Filed July 28. 1922 Dec. 18, 1928. 1,696,150

J. sAcHs ELECTRIC S-ERVICE INSTALLATION Filed July 28. 1922 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 J. SACHS ELECTRIC SERVICE INSTALLATION Dec. 18, 1928.

Filed July 28. 1922 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Dec. 1s, 1928.

UNI'TED STATES JOSEPH SACHS, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

ELECTRIC SERVICE INSTALLATION.v

Application mea July 2s,

The invention relates to service entrance installations for the supply of electric cur-1 rent. In such installations, it is common to enclose the fuses or cut-outs, the terminals of the electric meter, and the main entrance switch in a box or cabinet which is locked or sealed against access by any except the companys agent. Such enclosure is'desirable, in respect to such of these devices as are connected in the circuit on the service side of the meter, in order to prevent theft of current and, in respect to the fuse or cut-out mechanism, it is desirable vin order to prevent tamperin A, as by the substitution of larger size use connectors inadequate for guarding the companys line and apparatus from injury. AThese fuses, which may be calledethe companys fuses, are selected with rference to the maximum current, which the company deems. can be safely carried by the particular service and it is obviously of considerable importance that they be safely excluded from any possibility of alteration by the customer or any one else. Other cut-outs or customers fuses are commonly supplied in the installation for guarding the customers house-circuit and apparatus against the effects of excessive current, and are placed outside of the locked enclosure, or otherwise, so as to be accessible to the customer for renewal when necessary.` `The latter fuses are of smaller size or rating than the companys fuses, and, when used, ,are expected to o en the circuit in all cases, the

companys uses being yin the nature of ex- 'tra safeguards intended to function only under abnormal emergencies. When the customers fuses have blown he, himself, can restore the circuit and so avoid delay, but in the event of the functioning of the companys fuses, or both fuses, then it is necessary for the customer to await Ythe arrival of the companys agent before his. current can be restored, and it is found in linac-tice that such situations occur more or less frequently, causing annoyance and expense to both parties. It has also been proposed to provide an interlocked switch system wherein only one\set,of fuses is used.` These fuses are located as usual on the service side of the meter and, together with the service wires and the switch, arehoused inside of the theft-proof cabine-t. The fuses are protected by an auxiliary cover or guard which is interlocked withthe switch 1922. Serial No. 578,125.

so\ that the said cover or guard can be moved to expose the fuses only when the switch is in position to interrupt the circuit. Installations of this type have the advantage that thecustomer can immediately renew the fuses after throwing the switch off, but it has the disadvantage that the customer can, and' frequently does, avail himself of the accessibility of the fuses to sub1 stitute dangerously oversized fuses or to eliminate the fuses entirely and use jumpers The general object of the present invention is to eliminate the aforesaid objections and other objections incident to the heretofore existing or proposed types of equipment and to provide an enclosed met-erprotecting entrance installation adapted to take the place of the usual enclosed switch installation and to serve all the usual purposes of such installations in a superior way, and also other purposes as will herein'- after appear, at the same time affording to the company all the protection that may be desired, againstv both theft or tampering as well as against excessive current, together with the special advantage that the customer can safely and properly restore his service himself after the occurrence of any abnormal condition. Apparatus following this invention can be designed to take the place of the whole entrance equipment including customers fuses, las will later be.

apparent, or may be supplemented by such fuses when desired, and however used, is adapted for indefinite repetition of both its automatic and its manual functions without any expense whatever for the renewal of parts, being thus also superior to existing' equipment which requires the substitution of new fuses on each automatic operation.

-These several conveniences have not here- `tofore been made available in service ensafeguarding the circuit, and manual cus-- tomers control for ordinary service-switching purposes. The current-operated motor device may be variously designed, following in general the principles found in ordinary magnetically or thermally actuated cutout mechanism, which are well known, and I have found that such mechanisms are adapted to function in full satisfaction of every requirement of service installations, particularly every requirement of the company for protection against current of dangerous magnitude. Being enclosed and sealed, tampering or alteration of the interior automatic mechanism is eliminated, f

but by the use of means which are outside the enclosure, the customer can operate the interior switch connectors at his pleasure either to turn his current-on and off, `or in the event of an automatic opening, to restore the service connection. The housing for such mechanism need be no larger nor more expensive than existing meter-protect ing switch housings of the same rating, and can be made equally effective for protective purposes and may also carry or enclose such other usual or special service appurtenances as meter test contacts, fuses, and the like according to whatever conditions are to be met. The form of the invention which is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, exemplifies the principles thereof and shows the structure which is at present preferred for incorporating such principles, but it is to be understood that the same may be variously utilized and made effective for the purposes above referred to without departing from the invention.

Figure 1 is a vertical front elevation of a service entrance installation with its cover broken away to expose the interior, showing also the circuit connections.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged longitudinal section on line III-III of Fig. l.V

Figure 4 is a section on line IV-IV of Fig. i

Figure 5 is a section on line V--V of Fig.

Figure 6 isa detail. y

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary front view similar to Fig. 1 but showing an alternate construction.

Fig. 8 is a longitudinal section VIII-VIII of Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a cross section on line IX-IX of Fig. 8. c

The conventional meter shown` in Figs. 1 and 2 is assumed to be mounted as usual upon the wall of a building adjacent the point of entry of the companys' service wires and the switch box or cabinet 1 en closes the terminals l2 of the meter so that they are inaccessible except when the cover 3 of the box is open. Said cabinet l may be constructed of any suitable shape or design,

on line 0r of any desired number of parts and with any desired number of partitions, doors or covers so long as it is adapted for preventing access to the meter terminals and its associated parts and conductors on the service side of the meter. The simple box illustrated, having the meter projecting into it, is prefered because it is a customary arrangement and involves the use of but a single cover. Such cover is hinged at the bottom and provided with any suitable means 4 at the top whereby it can be locked or sealed in closed position.

The cabinet 1 contains an insulating or insulated base 5 preferably, though not necessarily, made in one piece and secured therein. The said base 5 carries wire terminals 6,6 connectible with the service wires and wire terminals 9, 9 connectible with the load wires, it being understood that the number of such terminals depends on ythe number of wires or legs of the circuit for which the apparatus is adapted. In the embodiment of the invention as shown I also provide wire terminals 7, 7 and 8, 8 connectible with wires extending to and from the meter. .Movable switch connectors 10,

10 are connected respectively between the.

pairs of terminals 8 and 9, the said connectors thus preferably being in the circuit after the meter. Fig. l shows the circuit diagram for a common two-wire circuit, the two incoming service wires being marked 11 and the outgoing load or house Wires being marked 12. The switch connectors- 10 are movably mounted to bridge and connect the opposed spring clip contacts 13, 13 which are mounted on the base and connected respectively to the terminals 8 and 9. I do not necessarily limit myself to a plurality of switch connectors such as 10.

Said switch connectors 10 are ring-formed at their centers, as shown in Fig. 4 and both are molded into a hub 14 of insulating material, mounted on or concentric with, a shaft 15, and confined against endwise movement between two upstanding brackets 16, 16 secured to the base 5. The bore of the hub extends through the rings of the connectors and is square or angular in cross-section, and the shaft 15, or at least a portion of it marked 17, conforms to the 'section so that the hub and its two switch connecttors must turn with the shaft but the shaft can slide endwise in the hub. Theishaft 15 may be assumed to be journalled in the brackets 16 and to form the support for the hub and connectors, such arrangement being preferred, although it will be apparrent'that these or vtheir equivalent parts can circuit.

and pinned by its other end in a cross hole drilled in the shaft. This spring is under .torsional tension as well as under compression, so that besides pressing the shaft outwardly to the position shown, it also tends to turn it on its axis and the direction of such .torsional effort is such as to turn the shaftand the switch connectors out of the closed position `to the open circuit position shown by the full lines in Fig. 4.

By itsoutward pressure, spring 18 normally thrusts the roller cross head 19 on the shaft against or toward the disc 2O in which position the said cross head rollers are situated between and beai' upon the straight and axially directed edges of two opposed lugs 21 bent up from the edges of the disc, as shown more clearly in Fig. 6. The disc 20 will be recognized from the drawing as forming a part of the hub structure ofthe outside crank handle' 22, 'being designed t-o serve as the means which retains the hub proper in the hole in the box wall which foi-nis the journal seat for the handle. It will be observed that movement of the crank to its upper position actuates the rock-shaft tlirough'the engagement of lugs 21 with rollers 19 and rotates the switch connectors 10 in the direction to close the circuit and against the torsion of spring 18. Outside the box wall, the handle 22 is Subject to the pressure of a spring 23 thrusting at an eccentric point 24 thereon and adapted to be carried past its dead center position as the handle is turned from its upper to its lower position (Fig..2). This spring imparts a full throw to the handle in both directions and in the handle position corresponding to the closed position of the switch connectors, it exerts suflicient pressure on .the handle to resist the torsion of the spring 18 so that although the latter constantly acts in the direction to open the switch, sucli.action is prevented by the counter-force of the handle spring, more or less supplemented bythe friction of the parts. lVheii however the handle is turned, such resistance is removed and the spring 18 then acts to turn the shaft and thereby open the Thus the movement of Ithe handle opens and closes the switch connectors and thereby the handle constitutes the means, accessible to the customer, whereby he may turn the supply current on and off, as required, that is to say, whereby the device serves for general service-switching pur poses.

It will be observed that the handle 22 can be operated for general service-switching purposes'only in so farl as its connection is maintained with the rock shaft 15 by means of the coupler device represented by the disc lugs and roller cross-head and that endwise withdrawal of the shaft so that the rollers 19 are disengaged from the lugs will break `the connection and thereby deprive the customer of any control overthe switching connectors. Such disengagement is accomplished automatically byfthe passage of a predeterminedor excessive current through the circuit and obviously leaves the shaft unrestrained against the torsion of the spring 18, which thereupon instantly rocks the shaft and opens the circuit. The particular means for thus uncoupling the switch connectors from the customers control consists' of a solenoid or some equivalent current-responsive motor agency included in, or influenced by, the current and arranged to act on the coupling device and which may be variously designed according to the design of the latter. As shown the current responsive means is connected in two legs of the circuit, but do not necessarily so limit myself. In the present case, such automatic means is an electromagnet comprising two similarly wound co-axially arranged coils 25 each included in one leg of the circuit, preferably ahead of thel meter, between the pairs of terminals 6 and 7 respectively, and joint-ly creating a magnetic circuit through the internal and external fixed core pieces 26 and the movable armature 27, which latter is mounted on or secured to the end of the shaft 15, a collar 28 being supplied at the joint, which may be designed to serve as a stop to limit both the endwise and the rotary movement of the shaft. As shown the collar 28 has shoulders 28 of which one is shown in Fig. 3, these shoulders engaging the end of the screw holding the a jacent bracket 16.

Inasmuch as the coils 25 are permanently included in the circuit and conduct current as long as the switch connectors' 1,0 are closed across the contacts 13, it will be apparent that the armature 27 exerts a normal pull on the shaft in the direction to slide it endwise through its bearings and through the hub 14. This pull is against the endwise thrust of the spring 18 and the latter is selected or adjusted sov as to resist the armature pull for all normal and safe current values, yielding only on the passage of a. current equal to or in excess of, some predetermined standard of safety. Instantly on such displacement of the shaft, the connector means 10 sna i to their open position, the circuit is opened and, the magnetic pull having ceased, the shaft comes to rest with its rollers 19 resting on the sloped sides of the lugs 21, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 5. The two connectors 10, 10 are moved simultaneously, thus opening both legs of the circuit. It will be understood that this opening of both legs of the circuit will occur even though an excessive current is flowing in only one leg. The opening op eration takes effect without movement of the customers service-switching handle 22 and corresponds in function to the opening of the circuit in existing service installations by the melting or blowing of the fuses, but in the present case the customer has the advantage that he can himself restore the circuit without notifying the company or waiting for the companys agent to come and open the enclosure. For this purpose, it is only necessary to swing the service-switching handle downwardly in the direction to cause the bevelled lugs 21 to ride under the rollers 19 until the latter snap back into their initial position between the straight edges of the lugs whereupon the switch connectors are again placed under. the customers control and the return of the handle turns the switch connectors to their closed position and the circuit is thus restored. This of course can be done without expense, as in the case when new fuses are required to be substituted for fuses which had blown, and moreover, if the cause of the excessive current has not been remedied, it will be quite impossible for the customer to complete a closure of the circuit, because the energization of the magnet will continue to repeat the uncoupling action so long as an excessive current passes and the apparatus thus also serves as an indicator to the customer of a defective circuit condition.

Figures 7, 8 and 9 represent one of the various possible modifications of the invention as respects the kind of current responsive device used to produce the automatic action. In this form the rock shaft 15, or What-ever agency is used for effecting the opening of the circuit, is arranged to be shifted by the thermal e'ect of the current. This is done by substituting a. thermo-active device in place of the electro-magnet 25, or two thermo-active elements in place of the two coils of the magnet, each element being connected in, or associated with, one of the legs of the circuit and arranging them so that the change of form, which results from the heating effect of an excessive current, will move the shaft in the direction to open the coupler or otherwise release the connectors so as to open the circuit. Thermoactive elements -for this purpose may be variously shaped and organized with the other parts and can be easily set so as to produce reliable opening action on the attainment of any dangerous or predetermined current values. lin the case illustrated each thermal element is constituted of a twin spiral strip of the same kind of bimetalli'c material, that is commonly used for thermoslats. The center of each spiral 29 is fixedly mounted on the insulating base block by a suitable lug 30 or 31 which also serves as the wire-connecting means or binding post, and the opposite ends of the two spirals are connected together by a yoke 32 which straddles the extended end 15 of shaft 15,

being insulated therefrom by a plate 34 so as to be, adapted to engage the cross-pins 33 thereon. By this mounting the current path is from one binding post 30 through the adjacent spiral 29 across the yoke 32 to the other spiral 29 and through' the latter to the opposite binding post 31. The heating effect of an excessive current expands the spirals in the direction to uncurl them and thereby causes the yoke to bear, through its insulated surface 34, on the crosspins in the direction to shift it endwise and open the coupler with the same effect as the electromagnet ribove described. With one such thermal element in each circuit leg, ample power is available to produce prompt and positive action .as will now be apparent, while the shaft 15 is free to rotate as necessary when the customers handle is used for ordinary service switching, but it will be understood that the arrangement just described is only one of several that can be etliciently employed to give the automatic action in response to increase of current.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the general organization of parts, Whether electro-magnetic or thermal, is capable of wide variation in its mechanical and electric design without departure from the underlying principle above explained whereby, through the agency of a single and compact piece of equipment, the company is relieved of the expense of maintaming a special service for the care of entrance installations. and the customer is relieved of the inconveniences referred to, being provided at the same time with all the safety and all the facilities for general switching purposes that are present in existing equipment or needed therein. It may be noted however that the form of the invention herein illustrated is rendered particularly compact and convenient to manufacture and install by virtue of the relative arrangement of the current responsive motor devices in positions laterally adjacent to their controlled switch connectors and all of them being in a row and on the same base block so that'the wire-connection terminals of each element are thus situated in rows at opposite sides, or top and bottom of the block. It is found to be important also, to the best operation of this apparatus that the currentresponsive means, which detects the current rise, shall be connected on the service side of the meter, as shown by the circuit diagram in Fig. 1, and that it shall cause the automatic opening of the circuit on the load side of the meter, which arrangement also constitutes an important part of the invention. With said arrangement and connection the two upper wire-connection terminals of the current-responsive elements, 7 7 and 31, 31. are provided with meter-test contacts 35 and the two lower or load side terminals 9, 9 are provided with ysimilar meter test contacts 36, so that when the customary meter test connections have been made to these contacts the said connectors 10 may be trated forms of the invention, the normall tension on the s ring 18 may be adjusted by manipulation o the collar 28, the effect of which is to vary the distance between the cross-head' and armature. 27, or cross pins 33 as the case may be, but obviously such adjustment can be made in various other Ways, it being desirable in any event that the apparatus be capable of being set to act on the attainment of predetermined current of different values.

I do not claim as a part of the present invention the features of the construction as shown adapting it for use in meter testing, as these features are set forth and claimed in my copending application for automatic circuit breaker for meter service, Serial N o. 303,543 filed September 1, 1928, as a division of thispresent application. Neither do I claim as a part of the present invention the'particular arrangement and construction of the circuit breaker itself, as this is set forth in my copending application for automatic circuit breaker, Serial No. 303,544 filed September 1, 1928, as a division of this present application.

1. In a theft-proof electric meter service installation connectible between service and Aload Wires, the combination of an enclosing cabinet having an openable cover adapted to be sealed in closed position, the said cabinet being provided with means for the protective association therewith of the terminal portion of an electric meter, circuit controlling means in the cabinet connectible in series with 'a meter protectively associated as aforesaid and including a movable circuit pening-and-closing member normally lin circuit closing position, an automatic current responsive device in the cabinet connectible in series with the said controlling means and with the meter, means serving upon the passage of excessive current through the said current responsive device to movethe said movable member to its circuit o ening position, a handle outside of.,

the ca inet accessible at all times for manual operation by the customer, and means `enabling the handle to move the said mov- 2. In a theft-proof electric meter service installation. connectible between service and load wires, the combination of an enclosing cabinet having an openable cover adapted to be sealed in closed position, the said cabinet being provided with means for the protective association therewith of the terminal portion of an electric meter, controlling means in the cabinet adapted for opening and closing the circuit and connectible in series with a meter protectively associated as aforesaid, an automatic current responsive device in the cabinet connectible in series with the controlling means and the meter, a single handle outside of the cabinet accessibleat all times for manual operation by the customer, means serving upon the passage of excessive current through the current responsive device to operate the controlling means independently of the handle to open the circuit, and means enabling the said handle to controlthe operation of the controlling means to both open and close-the circuit for normal switching purposes or to close the circuit after opening thereof by the action of the current responsive device, the last said means being inoperative to prevent the said operation of the controlling means by the current responsive device to open the circuit.

3. In a theft-proof electric meter service installation connectible between service and load Wires, the combination of an enclosing cabinet having an openable cover adapted to be sealed in closed position, means for the protective association of the terminal portion of an electric meter with the said cabinet, means in the cabinet adapted for opening and closing the circuit and connectible in series with a meter protectively associated as aforesaid, an Vautomatic current responsive device within the cabinet connectible in series with the circuit opening and' closing means and the meter, manual operating means including a handle outside of the cabinet accessible at all times lfor operation by the customer to actuate the circuit opening and closing means to open or closed position, and means operative when the handle is under manual control and serving upon the passage of excess current through the said current responsive device to cause the opening of the circuit opening and closing means independently of the handle, the said circuit opening and closing means, operating means and current responsive device being related one to the other to necessitate the movement of the handle first in one directionand then in another direction before the circuit can be againL completely closed after it has been opened through the operation of the automatic current responsive device.

4. In a theft-proof electric meter service installation connectible between service and load wires, the combination of an enclosing cabinet having an openaible cover adapted to be sealed in closed osit-ion, the said cabinet being provided with means for the protective association therewith of the terminal portion of an electric meter, circuit controlling means in the cabinet connectible in series with a meter protectively associated as aforesaid and including a movable circuit opening-and-closing member, a single handle outside of the cabinet accessible at all times for manual'operation by the customer, means automatically operative to establish a releasable mechanical connection between the said handle and the said movable member to enable the former to control the movement of the latter in both directions for normal switching purposes, an automatic current responsive device in the cabinet connectible in series with the said controlling means and with the meter and servinO upon the passage of excessive current through the said current responsive device to release the said movable member from the control of the handle, and means for moving the movable member to its circuit opening position upon being released.

5. In -a theft-proof electric meter service installation connectible between service and load wires, the combination of an enclosin cabinet having an openable cover adapted to be sealed in closed position, the said cabinet being provided with means for the rotective association therewith of the termlnal portion of an electric meter, a service wire connectible automatic current responsive device in the cabinet, a load wire connectible circuit controlling means in the cabinet including a movable circuit opening-and-closing member normally in circuit closing position, terminals for the connection of a protectively associated meter in series with and beyond the said current responsive device and in series with and ahead of the said controlling means, a handle outside the cabinet accessible at all times for manual operation by the customer, means serving upon the passage ot excessive current through the said current responsive device to move the said movable member independently of the' handle to its circuit opening position, and means enabling the handle to move the said movable member in the circuit closing direction, the said means being inoperative to prevent movement of the member in the circuit opening direction by the current responsive device.

G. ln a theft-prooi electric meter service installation connectible between service and load wires, the combination of an enclosin@f cabinet having an openable cover adapted to be sealed in closed position, the said cabinet being provided with means 'for the protective association therewith of the terminal port-ion of an electric meter, controlling `means in the cabinet adapted for opening and closing the circuit, an automatic current responsive device in the cabinet, terminals for the connection of a protectively associated meter between and in series with the said controlling means and the said current responsive device, a single handle outside of the cabinet accessible at all times for manual operation by the customer, means serving upon the passage of excessive current through the said current -responsive device to operate the said controlling means independently of the handle to open the circuit, and means enabling the said handle to control the operation of the controlling means to both open and close the circuit for normal switching purposes or to close the circuit after opening thereof by the action of the current responsive device, the last said means being inoperative to prevent operation of the controlling means by the current responsive device to open the circuit.

,7. In a theft-proof electric meter service installation connectible between service and load wires, the combination of an enclosin cabinet having an openable cover adapted to be sealed in closed position, the said cabinet being provided with means for the protective association therewith of the terminal portion of an electric meter, circuit controlling means in the cabinet connected in series with a meter protectively associated as aforesaid, the said controlling means including a plurality of movable circuit opening-andclosing members connectible respectively in a corresponding plurality of legs of the circuit and normally held in circuit closing positions, an automatic current responsive device in the cabinet connectible-'fin at least one leg of the circuit in series with the said cont-rollng means and with t-he meter, means servin upon the passage of excessive current t rough the said current responsive device to simultaneously move the said movable members to their circuit opening positions, a handle outside of the cabinet accessible at all times for manual operation by the customer, and means enabling the handle to move the said members in the circuit closing direction, the last said means being inoperative to prevent movement of the said members in t e circuit opening direction by the current responsive device.

8. In a theft-proof electric meter service installation connectible between Service and load wires, the combination of an enclosing cabinet having an openable cover adapted to be sealed in closed position, the said cabinet being provided with means for the protective association therewith of the terminal portion of an electric meter, a circuit controlling means in the cabinet connected in series with a meter protectively associated as aforesaid, the said controlling means including ltwo movable circuit opening-andclosing members connectible respec! cabinet connectible in both -of the said legs of the circuit in series respectively with the said movable members an with the coils of the meter, means serving upon the passage i of excessive current through either leg of the said current responsive means to simultaneously move the said movable members to their circuit opening positions, a handle outside of the cabinet accessible at all times for manual operation by the customer, and means enabling the handle to move the said members in the circuit closingr direction, the last said moans being inoperative to prevent Y movement of the members in the circuit opening direction by the current responsive' means.

9. In a theft-proof electric meter service e installation connectible between service and load wires, the combination of an enclosing cabinet having ank openable cover ada ted-to be sealed in closed position, the Sal terminal portion of an electric meter, :a multiple pole controlling means in the cabinet adapted for opening and closing the cabinet being provided with meansl for the protective'sassociation therewith of the circuit in at least two legs thereof, an automatlc 'current res onsive devlce in the cabmet, termma-ls device and with thelsaid controlling means, at leasttwo terminals of the meter being respectively connected with ,corresponding movable membersof the controlling means, a single handle outside of the` cabinet accessible at all' times for manual operationv by the customer, means serving upon the passage of excessive current through the said current responsive device to operate the said controlling means independently of the handle to open the circuit in both legs thereof, and means enablingthe said handle to control the operation of the controllingr means to both open and close both legs of the circuit :for normal switching purposes orto close both vlegs of the circuit after opening thereof by the action of the current responsive device, the last said means being 'inoperative to prevent operation of the controlling means Aby the current responsive deviceto open the circuit.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification.

JOSEPH sAcHs.

or the connection of a protectively associated meter between andl 1n series with the sald current responslve 

